The last EPT stop before the European Poker Tour Season 11 Grand Final in Monte Carlo, Monaco was completed early this morning. The EPT Malta €5,300 Main Event attracted a field of 895 players and a pool of €4,340,750 was created. The major event was won by French poker player Jean Montury. He was awarded €687,400, a tournament trophy, and a SLYDE watch, manufactured exclusively for the winner.
Only 6 players returned for the final table on Day 6 of the event to finish what was started on Friday. The action folded quite quickly as German player Hossein Ensan, who started the day as the shortest stack, was eliminated on Hand #3 by Dominik Panka. Ensan was paid €153,700 for his sixth place in the event.
One level later, on Hand #29, Panka defeated Javier Gomez Zapatero. The latter took home the sum of €205,300. As for Panka, he increased his chips to 3,430,000. Many considered the Polish player a favorite for the trophy, as he was the only one at the final table who had previously won a major EPT event. Panka triumphed in the EPT Deauville €10,000 + 300 No Limit Hold’em event in January 2014.
The next elimination came on Hand #71 in Level 32, when Stefan Schillhabel, the other German at the final table, was defeated by Valentin Messina. Schillhabel received €260,500 for his fourth place.
By the end of Level 32, there were only three players left and Messina was holding the majority of chips. He had 12,565,000, followed by Montury with 10,245,000 and Panka with 4,040,000.
The Polish player was the next to go. He was eliminated on Hand #117 in Level 33 of the game. He could not stand a chance against Montury and was paid €347,300 for his third place.
After Panka’s elimination, Messina had 15,105,000 in chips against his fellow-countryman’s 11,670,000. The two players requested a dinner break, after which a two-handed deal was struck. Messina was guaranteed €615,000 and Montury was to take at least €587,000. The remaining €100,000 in the prize pool were for the champion.
It took more than five hours and four levels before the winner was determined. And Hand #265 turned out to be the last one. Messina had [5c][5d] against Montury’s [Ad][10h]. The board ran out [6s][Jc][Js][4h][6d] and the name of the first-ever EPT Malta Main Event champion became known.
Messina took home his consolation prize of €615,000. The winner, on the other hand, was awarded €687,400, a SLYDE watch, and the tournament trophy.
Montury is a former pool player and he became interested in poker back in the 90s after he had visited Las Vegas. He told interviewers that his ambition now is to become a professional poker player.
Malta was the last stop before the European Poker Tour Season 11 Grand Final, which is scheduled for April 28-May 8 and will take place at the emblematic Monte Carlo Casino in Monaco.
